iStop the Wedding
by wannabe1980
Summary: My entry for the "Stay My Baby" challenge. Freddie is getting married, and Carly has one last chance to win him back. Can she stop him from making the biggest mistake of his life--and hers? I don't own iCarly or Etta James' "Stop the Wedding." R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**I recommend looking up Etta James' "Stop the Wedding" and listening to it. You don't have to hear it to understand the story, but it's a heck of a song. Lyrics are in _bold italics_. **

* * *

Chapter 1

_**Preacher: "If there's anyone here**_

_**Who knows why these two people should not be joined together,**_

_**Let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."**_

Carly heaved the heavy mahogany doors open just in time to hear those words resonate through the sanctuary. The wedding guests—dozens of them—sat in silence. Carly's heart thudded in her chest, and her mouth went dry. She gasped for air after her frantic sprint to the church. She was so afraid of what she was about to do, but one look at the couple standing at the altar gave her the strength to press on. She gathered her courage and found her voice.

_**Wait, Wait! Stop the **__**wedding!**_

All eyes turned toward her, watching her in stunned silence, and she felt her confidence wane. She pulled in a steadying breath and marched toward the man whose love she had never appreciated until she lost it—the man whose heart she would give anything to recapture.

His deep brown eyes widened as she approached. His face was a mixture of emotions she couldn't quite decipher, but she was pretty sure anger was there in abundance. He was stunningly handsome in his crisp tux. She stole a glimpse of the bride, looking like a fairy-tale princess in her satin and tulle, as she approached. Next to her, Carly felt like a toad in her faded jeans with her sweat-soaked hair and runny makeup. "Wendy," she mumbled apologetically. Wendy glared at her in silence.

"Carly," Freddie whispered, still clasping Wendy's hand, "what are you doing?"

_**You're just marrying her for spite.  
If she knew the inside story,  
She'd tell you what you're doing just ain't right.**_

"No, Carly," Freddie replied coldly, "you've got it all wrong. You need to leave."

Carly felt the tears welling up in her eyes.

_**I know you don't wanna hurt me,  
So stop this madness before it starts.  
Revenge will only cause you regret,  
**_  
_**So don't do it, don't do it.  
Don't break two hearts.  
(Don't break two hearts.)**_

"It's not about revenge, Carly," he said, forgetting to lower his voice this time. "I love her, and she loves me. _You never did_!" He was nearly shouting by now. His brow creased in fury, and he glared daggers at her. "What makes you think you can come in here and just…?"

Carly's tears rolled freely down her cheeks, taking what was left of her makeup with them. She clutched Freddie's arm and pleaded with him, not caring that the entire crowd heard her every word. Her broken voice rang out from the speakers and reverberated off the rafters.

_**Cuz you belong to me, Oh Darlin.  
And I belong to you, and deep down inside me now,  
I know you feel that way too.  
So **__**baby**__**, don't do it (don't do it).  
Don't do it (don't do it). Don't do it (don't do it).  
Oh, Don't you break two hearts. (Oh don't break two hearts.)**_

"Leave now, Carly," Freddie hissed at her. He shook his arm free of her grip. "You're not welcome here."

Carly's heart broke, yet again, at the hatred she saw on his face. She fell to her knees and reached up to grasp the hem of his jacket.

_**No, No, No, **__**Baby!**__** Don't do it (don't you do it).  
Don't do it (don't you do it).  
Stop the **__**wedding**__** (don't you do it)!  
Oh, Don't you break, don't you break two hearts (oh don't break two hearts).**_

Spencer approached from the line of groomsmen and pulled Carly to her feet. He placed an arm around her waist and tried to turn her away from Freddie, but she wouldn't budge. "Come on, Carls," he whispered. "You're embarrassing yourself. Let's go."

Carly refused to move, forcing Spencer to pull her down the aisle by her waist. She saw horror, disgust, and pity on the faces around her—Mrs. Benson, Gibby, Principal Franklin, Sam—but the only face she cared about was covered in pure rage. She screamed for him as Spencer dragged her out of the room.

_**No, No, No, No, Don't do it (Don't you do it).  
Don't do it (don't you do it).  
Stop the wedding (don't you do it)!  
Oh, don't break two hearts (oh, don't break two hearts)!**_

Spencer pushed her outside and stood in the doorway. "Carls, you can't do this to him, not now. He's happy with Wendy. If you wanted him, you should have told him years ago. He was miserable over you for years, but now he's moved on. Don't ruin it for him." Carly gave him a pleading look, and he considered letting her back in. He placed a hand on her shoulder and sighed. "Go home, Carls," he said softly. "I have to be here for Freddie right now, but I promise we'll talk when I get home." With that, he disappeared back into the church, closing the door behind him.

Carly tried the door, but found it locked. The man she loved more than anything was on the other side of that door, soon to be lost to her forever, and she couldn't get in. She pounded on the door and wailed. She slid to her knees, sobbing.

_**No, No, No, No, Don't do it (don't you do it).  
Stop the wedding (don't you do it)!  
Oh, Oh Don't you break two hearts.  
(Oh, don't break two hearts.)**_

_**

* * *

**_**Okay, so...a big THANK YOU to the folks at the Creddiefans forum for putting this challenge together. I've already read a few of the entries, and they are GREAT! I can't wait to see what the other authors out there come up with for this challenge. I have a couple more chapters in store for you, so I hope you'll stay tuned to see if Carly will get her happy ending with Freddie! Reviews are love!!! :)**_**  
**_


	2. Chapter 2

Carly pulled herself up from the concrete and slowly turned away from the ornately carved doors that stood between her and happiness. She stumbled dejectedly down the steps and wandered away from the church, knowing she had blown her chance at getting Freddie back. She had been such a fool.

_FLASHBACK_

Carly paused mid-sentence as she and Sam turned to stare at Freddie standing in the doorway. He crossed to the beanbags where they sat, limping only slightly. Carly smiled broadly up at him, and he looked down at her with adoration on his face. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hey yourself," she said as she watched him take a seat on the hood of the car. "So…no more casts."

"Nope," he said, shaking his head and looking down at himself. He raised his eyes to hers, and she knew he was searching her face for a sign.

"So you're running at full nub capacity again, huh?" Sam said, smirking.

"Well," he shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and turning to face Sam with one eyebrow cocked. "No one has asked to hear the story in weeks. The star quarterback gave me a wedgie yesterday, and you've resumed torturing me full-force. I guess that means everything is back to normal." He shot a meaningful glance at Carly with those last words. She felt a blush staining her cheeks.

"We knew you couldn't hold on to that newfound coolness for long," Sam quipped as she got to her feet and took a step toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Carly asked.

"Yeah," Freddie said. "We're supposed to work on the 'Javier the Singing Kumquat' bit, and _you_ were supposed to bring the kumquat."

"Oh yeah," Sam said, digging a small orange fruit out of her pocket. "Here ya go." She whirled around and flung the kumquat at Freddie as hard as she could, hitting him right in the middle of his forehead. The force of the blow knocked him backward on the car's hood, and he slid to the floor in a daze.

"Freddie!" Carly shouted, jumping up and kneeling beside him.

"Mama's out." Sam said, striding toward the door.

"Wait, Sam!" Carly called. "What's up with you? What about rehearsal?"

"Sorry, Carls," Sam replied. "My mom had her butt liposuctioned today, and Melanie and I have to take care of her. So unless you two want to rub anti-inflammatory cream all over her…." Carly and Freddie both visibly cringed at the thought. "Well, then, I'll catch you later." With that, she was gone.

Carly helped Freddie to his feet. She could already see a knot rising on his forehead. "I can't believe she did that," she said reaching out to touch the darkening bruise, only to pull her hand back at the last second.

"Like I said," he replied with a wry grin, "back to normal."

She stood mute, just smiling and watching his eyes as he stepped closer to her. His eyes were full of questions as he reached up to stroke her cheek. His touch felt like a plea and a promise rolled into one. Her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into his exquisite caress.

"Carly," he whispered hoarsely, "look at me." His warm breath danced across her lips. She opened her eyes. His face was a fraction of an inch from hers. His eyes were glassy and heavy-lidded. "Do you still want me?" he asked, and she heard hope mixing with fear in his voice.

She nodded slowly, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Yes," she whispered.

A smile spread across his face. "That's all I needed," he murmured just before his lips crashed into hers. He threaded his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer to him. He groaned as her hands freely roamed his chest and her tongue darted out to tease him. They kissed with mounting passion until he finally pulled away from her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Spencer…."

"Is in Vancouver," she cut him off, "for an art show."

"Oh," he panted, still holding her face close to his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back down to her, losing herself in the feel of him.

Several minutes later, they lay together on the floor of the studio, their clothing scattered around them. Carly stared at the ceiling, listening to Freddie's heavy breathing beside her. Her heart was pounding, but not from exertion. It was sheer panic. She hadn't planned to go that far, but she had been overwhelmed by passion.

Freddie propped himself up on his elbow and gazed down at her, smiling. "Freddie," she began weakly, "what we just did.…"

"Was amazing," he interrupted. "It changes _everything_. I love you, Carly. I'll love you forever."

Carly sat up, reaching for her dress to cover herself. She saw the bloodstain on the rug, and it amplified her fear. "We shouldn't have...," she began, struggling for words. "We're too young. I can't…. This was a mistake." Freddie's face fell. "I'm sorry," she said, pulling the dress over her head. "This can't happen again. We just need to forget this." She scrambled to her feet, tugging her skirt down. She glanced at Freddie and saw tears making their way down his cheeks. "You need to leave now," she whispered then raced out of the studio. She threw one last glance over her shoulder and saw him sitting with his face buried in his hands, his shoulders shaking violently with the force of his sobs.

_END FLASHBACK_

"Repeat after me," the preacher said. "I, Fredward, take you, Wendy."

"I, Fredward, take you, Carly." Freddie's eyes widened as he realized what he had said. A gasp rippled through the audience. Wendy's expression was one of shock, then anger. "W-Wendy," he stammered. "I, Fredward, take you, _Wendy_!"

"Too late," Wendy hissed as she turned and stormed down the aisle.

Freddie followed her, ignoring the murmuring crowd. He called out to her to wait, to come back. She ignored him, not pausing until she was outside the church. "Wendy!" Freddie shouted, grabbing her wrist and turning her to face him. "I'm sorry, honey! It was an accident. A slip of the tongue. That's all."

Wendy jerked her wrist free and turned her back on him. "Wrong, Freddie!" she shouted. "You still love her, or you wouldn't have said _her_ name when you were supposed to be pledging your lifelong love to _me_!" She whirled on him and struck him with her bouquet, sending rose petals flying around them.

"I don't love her!" Freddie shouted back, shielding his face from her floral bludgeon. "I _hate_ her! How could you think I'd still love her after everything she did to me?"

"I saw your face when you looked at her!"

"Then you saw how _angry_ I was with her!"

"Exactly," Wendy said, her voice growing eerily calm.

"Huh?" Freddie blinked in confusion.

"You wouldn't have been so angry if you were really over her," Wendy sighed. "Emotions that intense can only be provoked by someone you really care about. If you were over her, she wouldn't be able to affect you like that. She wouldn't matter enough to have that kind of power over you."

"She affects me _because_ of how much I hate her," Freddie persisted.

"No, you don't," Wendy said with a forced laugh. Tears shimmered in her eyes. "She hurt you badly. You're angry with her, and you're bitter, but you don't hate her." She turned away from him as her tears began to fall. "I can't marry you, Freddie. Not like this."

"Why not?" he demanded. "You love me."

"With all my heart," she whispered brokenly.

"I love you."

"I'm not so sure about that." She faced him then, and he looked bewildered. "Carly broke your heart all those years ago. She nearly destroyed you. You were drowning, and I pulled you out. You've been with me ever since," she placed a hand over his heart, "but you can't spend forever in a lifeboat. For all I know, if Sam had been the one to comfort you the way I did, you might have been standing up there with her today."

She pulled away from him and leaned against the wall, no longer caring about damaging her beautiful gown. "I need to let you go. I hope you'll come back to me someday, but I need to know that you're with me for the right reasons. You need to take some time. Do some soul-searching and figure out who you really want to be with. If it's me, I'll be waiting. If it's Carly…, I just want you to be happy."

"Wendy," Freddie said, taking her hand, "I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know," she said, forcing a little smile. "Well, I guess I should get back in there. I have a wedding to call off."

"I'll do it," Freddie said. "You shouldn't have to face that crowd. Go home. I'll take care of things here."

"I'd appreciate that."

He walked her to the sleek black limousine waiting by the curb. Streamers and "Just Married" banners decorated the sides and back of the car. He opened the door for her and kissed her cheek. He helped her gather her skirt into the car and leaned down to say a few parting words to her. "Thank you," he said, looking directly into her eyes. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. For being such a great friend. For saving me from my own heartache. But most of all, thank you for loving me." She smiled and nodded, fresh tears wetting her cheeks.

As he watched the car pull away from the curb, tin cans rattling on the pavement, he thought about all the tears that had been shed in his presence that day—his ex-girlfriend's as she begged him not to get married, his would-be bride's as she called off their wedding. He found it odd that the only time _he_ had felt like crying was when Spencer had dragged Carly out of the church and locked her outside.

Freddie took a deep breath, deciding that was a question to ponder later, as he turned back toward the church full of waiting guests.

**AN: One more chapter to go…I hope you're enjoying this little tale. Reviews are much appreciated! **


	3. Chapter 3

Carly sat on her bed, running her fingertips over the little silver rattle she had kept hidden in her jewelry box for so many years. A tear ran down her cheek as she traced the engraving: "For my baby. I'm sorry. Love, Mommy."

_FLASHBACK_

"What's wrong, Carly?" Freddie asked as he followed her out of the studio. "We're in the middle of a show! What's the matter?"

"Nothing!" she shouted.

"Carly!" he called after her. "Talk to me, please! I can't stand this."

Finally, she stopped halfway down the stairs and turned to him. "What do you want me to say?"

"Something," he pleaded. "Anything. I just can't keep doing this with you."

"Doing what?"

"You _know_ what. You're my best friend, and you hardly speak to me anymore. Aside from the show, you won't have anything to do with me. It's killing me. What's wrong?"

She gave him a you've-got-to-be-kidding look and said, "Nothing!"

"For heaven's sake, don't lie to me!" he said angrily. "Look, I know things have been awkward since…, but that was three months ago. Why are you acting this way?"

When she didn't answer him, he tried a new approach. "I love you, and I thought you loved me. You said you still wanted me. We can make this work. We can have something great. We can start over. Take it slow. We don't have to do _that_ again until we're ready. I'll wait as long as it takes. I love you so much, Carly! Please, just tell me what to do."

"Leave me alone!" she cried, and turned away from him.

He reached out to take her hand, and she jerked her arm away violently, sending herself tumbling down the stairs. "Carly!" he screamed.

Carly came to rest on the landing, curling up in the fetal position. The pain in her lower abdomen was crippling. She screamed in agony.

Spencer leaped over the back of the couch, tripping and landing on his face on the floor. "Oh my God, Carls!" he grunted, scrambling to her side. "Are you okay?"

Freddie reached her at the same time. "Carly!" He timidly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Carly, baby, talk to me!"

"M-might…need…a doctor," she panted as fiery knives pierced her abdomen, sending burning jolts of pain throughout her body. She screwed her eyes shut and felt tears leaking out through her lashes.

"On it," Freddie said as he pulled his phone out.

"S-spencer," Carly whimpered, "help me up." Spencer helped her to a sitting position and knelt in front of her.

Sam came rushing down the stairs and grabbed Freddie by the collar. "What did you do to her, nub?" she demanded, slamming him against the railing. Her eyes were murderous.

"Nothing," he shouted, leaning backward over the rail where she had him pinned. "She fell. It was an accident."

"An accident _you_ caused," Sam hissed.

"Sam," Carly said through gritted teeth, "it wasn't his fault. Please don't fight. Not now."

"If you say so, Carls," Sam said, reluctantly letting Freddie go.

In just minutes, the paramedics arrived. Spencer helped Carly to her feet and half-carried her down the remaining steps.

"Oh my God, Carly," Freddie's voice was low and fearful. He was staring at the landing.

She followed his gaze to the place where she had been sitting. There was blood—so much blood. "I-I…," she stammered. Then everything faded to black.

_END FLASHBACK_

"Carly?" Freddie's unexpected voice made Carly jump. She looked up to see him standing in the doorway of her bedroom. He was still wearing his tux, but his bowtie was untied, and his top two buttons were undone. He held the jacket in one hand. The hair at his temples and forehead dripped with sweat, telling her he had been out in the summer heat for a while. She blinked at him, not quite sure if he was real. "Can I come in?" he asked.

She nodded once, and he hesitantly approached. He sat beside her on the bed, his eyes on the rattle in her hands. "Whatcha got there?"

She saw no reason to hide it from him. She placed it in his hand. "I bought it for…after I.…" Her words trailed off as she searched his face.

He studied the tiny bauble he held. "You…? All this time, I thought you never wanted…. I mean, you acted so sad and angry before you fell. Then afterward, you seemed so…relieved—like a ton of bricks fell off your shoulders."

"I _was_ relieved," she admitted reluctantly. "Does that make me a bad person?" He didn't answer. "I couldn't help it. When I found out I was…I didn't know what I was going to do."

"I wish you had told me. Do you know what it was like for me to find out the way I did?"

"I'm sorry, Freddie," she whispered. "I should've told you, but I was too scared. I was _fifteen_. I wasn't ready for that." She wept quietly beside him.

"When the doctor came out and told us you'd be okay, I was so relieved," Freddie said, not looking at her. "Then he said you had miscarried. He said it so matter-of-factly, like he assumed we _knew_ you were pregnant. I felt like someone kicked me in the gut. I couldn't breathe, and my ears were ringing. I heard the doctor saying, 'She lost the baby, but she'll recover.' His voice sounded like a recording being slowed down. All I could think was, 'Why? How could Carly have carried _my_ baby for _three months_ without telling me?' Then afterward, you acted like your prayers had been answered, and you avoided me like the plague." He finally met her eyes. "It was like you were _twisting_ that knife you plunged into my heart after we…."

"After the miscarriage, I felt like I had a second chance—like my life had been handed back to me. I was grateful, Freddie. I was _grateful_ that our baby died!" She was racked with sobs. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to his chest, letting her tears soak his shirt. When she regained control, she looked up at him. Her voice was barely audible. "Then I started to feel so guilty. What kind of person _was_ I? It wasn't your fault, but every time I looked at you, all I could see was my own shame. I couldn't face it, or you, so I pushed you away. I never stopped loving you, though." She wiped her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Freddie, for everything."

"If you hadn't miscarried, would you have kept it?" he asked.

"I honestly don't know," she said, staring at her hands.

Freddie just nodded as he processed her answer. "I can't believe Spencer didn't hate me," he finally said. "I mean, things were weird for a while, and he was slow to warm back up to me, but I would've thought he'd despise me."

"We had a long talk about it at the hospital," Carly answered. "I told him it wasn't your fault. I told him it was my decision to sleep with you. I also told him that you hadn't done anything to hurt me and that you loved me and would've been by my side the whole time had I let you."

"So when did you buy this?" he asked, looking down at the silver rattle in his hand.

"Later on," Carly replied. "She would've been about a year old. I saw it in a shop one day and had to have it. You should've seen the clerk's face when I told him what engraving I wanted. You're the only person who's ever seen it."

"_She_ would've been…?"

"Yeah," Carly said wistfully, "I've kind of created a mental picture of what our baby would be like—a girl. She'd have my eyes and your smile."

Freddie smiled a bit. "Sounds like what I picture when I think about it."

"She'd be five now. She'd be starting school. She'd be as smart as you."

"And as talented and beautiful as you."

"She'd be perfect," Carly said with a sad smile.

Freddie was gripping the rattle so tight his skin was turning white between the knuckles. He stood and crossed to the window, squinting in the sunlight. He pressed his forehead to the cool glass. "You know," he sighed, "for the longest, I blamed myself. I thought it was my fault you fell—my fault we lost our baby. If I hadn't been following you, if I hadn't reached out to touch you…."

"It wasn't your fault, Freddie."

"I know that now," he said softly. "Wendy helped me see that."

"She's good for you, isn't she?"

He couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, she has been."

"So why are you here? Shouldn't you be dancing with her at your reception?"

"We didn't get married." He heard her gasp behind him. "She called it off."

"I want to say I'm sorry," Carly murmured, coming to stand behind him, "but the truth is, I'm too selfish. Are you okay, though?"

"That's the thing," he said, turning to face her. "Now that the shock has worn off, I'm fine with it. It's like I love her, but I'm not sure I'm _in love_ with her. She said some things that made me think, and now…."

Hope glimmered in Carly's eyes as he went on. "She saved me from myself after I lost you. I've been with her all this time because she made me feel good. She was the only reason I was able to stay friends with you and Sam for as long as I did. But then Griffin came back, and you…, and I…. Anyway, she kept me from hurting, and I thought I was over you. Now I wonder if she was more like a bandage than a cure. She kept my heart from bleeding, but the wound never healed."

Carly reached out for him, but he stopped her. "I'm not saying I'm ready to run back into your arms, Carly," he said. "You really hurt me. We can't just pick up where we left off like nothing happened. I don't know if we'll ever get back to where we were. And then there's Wendy. There's a chance I might actually love her. I just don't know."

"I understand," Carly said, her breath hitching. "Please just give me a chance to love you the way I should have all along." She placed her hand on his cheek. "Give yourself the chance to love me again," she said as she pulled him down and met his lips.

Freddie wanted to resist. He wanted to stay cool and aloof and not melt into her, but he couldn't help himself. He groaned into her mouth. He returned her kiss, reluctantly at first, then with abandon. Kissing Carly felt right. It felt like coming home.

He broke the kiss and gazed deeply into her eyes. They were brimming with tears, and he felt wetness on his own cheeks as well. He pressed the rattle into her hand and wrapped his own around it. With his free hand, he lifted her chin so that she couldn't look away from him. "I can't promise you forever, Carly," he said, "but I will give us a chance at it."

"That's good enough," she said with a wobbly smile, "for now." Then she kissed him again.

_TWO YEARS LATER_…

Freddie took the ring his best man held out to him. The flashing lights on Spencer's tie made him chuckle. He slid the ring onto his bride's finger and said his vows to her, his heart bursting with joy.

Moments later, Freddie pulled back from the kiss and gazed at his new wife. He had never seen anything so beautiful. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.

"I love you so much, Freddie," she whispered in his ear. "I'm so glad you came back to me."

"I love you, too, Carly," he whispered back. "Forever."

**AN: That's all, Folks! I hope you liked it. I wanted this to be an emotionally tumultuous story, and I hope that came through in the writing. It was kind of hard to pack all those feelings into three chapters and no more than 5,000 words! Reviews? Pretty please?**


	4. AN: THANK YOU!

Author's Note:

Wow! I'm blown away! Thanks so much to everyone who read, reviewed, and/or voted for my story! I don't have the words to tell you how much I appreciate it.

And thanks to the other authors who participated in the "Stay My Baby" challenge and gave us some awesome fics to read. I loved them all. My hat's off to you crazy-talented people! Thank you for setting the bar so high and making this challenge memorable!

Thanks also to the folks at the Creddiefans forum for putting this challenge together. We might never have seen some of these terrific stories without this challenge to inspire and motivate us.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the voting, regardless of who you voted for. It means a lot that you cared enough to read all thirteen stories and support your favorite!

I look forward to future challenges. I can't wait to see what prompts there will be and what comes out of them. I know all you writers out there have plenty of fantastic work in store for us.

THANK YOU!


End file.
